To William Lonsdale   10 May 1853

Alberton,¹ 10th May 1853.

Sir,

I do myself the honor to inform you for communication to his Excellency the Governor, that since my last report, dated Yerring 15th April,² I proceeded to Gipps land and commenced there examining its vegetation, chiefly along the Latrobe-river and the coast. It was my intention to visit Mount Baw Baw, still the last rains, unusually heavy for this season, frustrated my attempt to cross the intervening innundated country, at least with those means which were then to my command.

I hope to be enabled yet, before I return, to extend my researches over a part of Wilsons promontory, a locality for its most southern latitude in this continent highly interesting, having been once obliged to abandon the task, prevented by adverse wind and boisterous weather. The Government boat has been for this purpose placed to my disposal by the Police Magistrate of Alberton and I feel it to be my duty, to acknowledge the great assistance, which I here by Mr M'Crae experienced in all my undertakings.

Notwithstanding the disappointment to extend my journey to richer remoter quarters my collections as well as the materials for my botanical work have been here considerably enriched.

The number of the species added again exceeds a little 90 forming with all those discovered before about the sum of 1030, and comprise, I think, nearly half the here indigenous vegetation. Restiaceae, Leguminosae, Myrtaceae and the less developed cryptogamous plants (Musci Fungi) have been lastly observed to be predominant, yet a great number of genera of other orders are likewise with them through this tract of country dispersed, as the sequent index will prove:

Eurybia, Goniocarpus, Lepeyrodia,³ Isolepis, Restio, Isopogon, Leptospermum, Hakea, Ozothamnus, Polypodium, Tremella, Dicranum, Gymnostomum, Hypnum, Peltigera, Callitriche, Opercularia, Veronica, Eucalyptus, Orthotrichum, Diosmarum n.g.,⁴ Senecio, Ranunculus, Agaricus, Polyporus, Xanthosia, Persoonia, Trachymene, Cardamine, Acacia, Leptomeria, Chapelliera, Grevillea, Gompholobium, Dillwynia, Calycotrix,⁵ Banksia, Asterotriche, Pterostylis[,]⁶ Boronia, Sowerbaea?, Leucopogon, Goodenia, Tetratheca, Hibbertia, Calystegia, Chenopodium, Scaevola, Bovista, Casuarina, Atriplex, Avicennia, Cenomyce, Boletus, Pleurandra, Bursaria, Statice, Cassinia, Cyathodes, Zostera, Acrotriche, Xanthorrhoea, Lepidosperma, Juncus, Hemichroa, Parmelia[,]⁷ Ramalina, Umbilicaria, Jungermannia & Thelephora

Nevertheless the greatest part of these plants occurrs in the collections of New South Wales or Van Diemens land several appear peculiar to this country and I feel perfectly convinced, that the more distant localities in the East and North of Gipps land must be considered as the richest and most deserving country for a full phytological exploration. The rich banks of the Latrobe-river, the alpine country of Omio⁸ and Manaroo,⁹ the Snowy river and its cold adjacent plains, the rocky coast of Wilsons promontory, the deep ferntree gullies and remarkable scrubby Sandridges, all within short journeys, are united in Gipps land so advantageously, that a permanent residence there of a naturalist would be preferable to any other part of the colony.

With a view of laying my manuscripts after a throughout examination of the new plants during the rainy season before the Government, I trust that his Excellency will deem it sufficient, if I only mention at present the discovery of a Convolvulus (Calystegia) of the medical virtue of Ipomoea Jalapa, of a diuretic Boronia and of an extremly handsome plant belonging to a seemingly undescribed genus of Diosmeae, equally remarkable for its alliance with Diplolaena & Chorilaena of West Australia and as the only recorded instance of parasitism in this order.

The specimens, procured during the last months will be forwarded by the schooner Marelise¹⁰ to his Excellency.

I have the honor, Sir,

to be your most obedient and humblest servant

Ferd. Mueller.

The honorable the Colonial Secretary.¹¹

Acacia

Acrotriche

Agaricus

Asterotriche

Atriplex

Avicennia

Banksia

Boletus

Boronia

Bovista

Bursaria

Callitriche

Calycotrix

Calystegia

Cardamine

Cassinia

Casuarina

Cenomyce

Chapelliera

Chenopodium

Chorilaena

Convolvulus

Cyathodes

Dicranum

Dillwynia

Diosmarum

Diosmeae

Diplolaena

Eucalyptus

Eurybia

Fungi

Gompholobium

Goniocarpus

Goodenia

Grevillea

Gymnostomum

Hakea

Hemichroa

Hibbertia

Hypnum

Ipomoea Jalapa

Isolepis

Isopogon

Juncus

Jungermannia

Leguminosae

Lepeyrodia

Lepidosperma

Leptomeria

Leptospermum

Leucopogon

Musci

Myrtaceae

Opercularia

Orthotrichum

Ozothamnus

Parmelia

Peltigera

Persoonia

Pleurandra

Polypodium

Polyporus

Pterostylis

Ramalina

Ranunculus

Restiaceae

Restio

Scaevola

Senecio

Sowerbaea

Statice

Tetratheca

Thelephora

Trachymene

Tremella

Umbilicaria

Veronica

Xanthorrhoea

Xanthosia

Zostera